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I just wanted to try too share my experience with you. I had the pleasure of attending a "practical aikido" seminar with Robert Kota Sensei.

It was the coolest seminar I have ever been to and I found it to be everything I had hoped it would be and then some. And yet the funny thing is I already either knew or had a strong opinion about ˝ the content in there, but it was the validation or parroting, of what I have always felt or said, gave me maybe more satisfaction because it was coming from someone like Robert Kota who spent more than twenty years implementing and adapting it to the rigors and demands of law enforcement. I also discovered that he does not have a back belt in anything yet he has the feel and presents of a 5 or 6th degree black belt in Aikido. Not only did I like the seminar I'd pay just to set and listen to the old mans stories, he is an aging, highly skilled, warrior, and teacher that has experienced a lot more than the "average bear".

Kota sensei was in an internment camp during WW2 and it was there that he learned Judo. "There was someone teaching it, and there was nothing else to do", as Sensei put it. He then joined the USMC and later found himself in Hawaii as a police officer where his Judo and Marine Core hand to hand combat training naturally landed him a role in arrest and control training. A nurse friend of his asked him if he had ever heard of Aikido and insisted on him meeting the Sensei, (I am sorry, I can't remember his name). Although he was not initially impressed he was after the Sensei was able to throw Robert and his buddies around like rag- dolls; or at least he wanted to know how he did it. So he started studying under him and spending a great deal of time together traveling working as his interrupter, a lot of "one on one" time. During this time Kota sensei says that he learn the mental side of Aikido, he began to understand the overall concept and mindset better then most and so found that he could do things that the 4th and 5th degree black belts could not. This completely change his life in everyway, and from this he got permeation to start his own fighting "system" not art, that he could teach quickly to people that was based and deeply rooted in the Aiki way.

He tested these things against the strongest men he could find and then he tested them on the street and they have been more then proven to work all over the world from beat officers to special ops units.

Anyone in the Aiki arts (Aikido, Hapkido, Aiki-Jujitsu) whatever, that is also interested in self-defense the military or law enforcement of any kind so spend some time with Kota Sensei.

No, haven't been to any of his seminars, but I have heard good things. I'm glad you enjoyed it, and thank you for posting your review.

Say, do you think you could pick one waza that was a favorite for you and describe it?

Best,
Ron

Cool….that’s a clip from the seminar last weekend. I was wondering who was taping that. I would be interested in buy a copy if I could.

As for Ron, ….me explain in a waza in writing? …. LOL, Well as you can tell that is not my ,”forte” but for you Sir, I will try.

The ones I liked the most? Probably his techniques for straight left or a right hook. But the one I had the most fun with was against a two handed front choke.

Relax, make hammi or triangulate yourself slightly to protect the family jewels, at the same time bring your left hand up and over his right in preparation for kotagoishi (thumb should be on the smaller outside bones of the hand. Then bring your right hand up between his arms to his throat. Push into this throat with your middle finger just above the sternum. When he lets go, pull him into a brutal forward Kotagoishi.
Then don’t do any fancy or formal Aikido crossover steeps or pens. As soon as you throw him “stir the pot, with you arms before he hits the ground. This bring him to you to pin, quickly and in a small space. This was a lot of fun!

to say he doesn't have a black belt in anything... i think is wrong. from articles i've read about him, he studied a long time under koichi tohei, and tohei sensei is the one who gave him the blessing to go out and adapt aikido to more tactical/practical aspects.

to say he doesn't have a black belt in anything... i think is wrong. from articles i've read about him, he studied a long time under koichi tohei, and tohei sensei is the one who gave him the blessing to go out and adapt aikido to more tactical/practical aspects.

glad you enjoyed the seminar.

Tohei sensei ….thats it!

Thanks, you're probably right about the black belt thing. Now that I am searching for Koga and not kota….LOL….(details) I am getting a lot more info. I wish I could edit my post I was only trying to explain to people who Koga sensei is and why and how his system came about, and why what he says works and doesn't work is important or why you should at least listen to the man. I didn't intend to write a biography on the man; I am clearly not qualified. I guess I assumed, and you no what assumption is. When he told the story to us he said that it was" a short amount of time" and for some reason I thought it was a year or two but he said he had a lot of quality time or one on one time with Tohei Sensei so he felt that he learn, (at least on the mental side of it), "more in that short amount of time then his other students did in decades."

Bob Koga Sensei is renowned in the law enforcement circles here in California. He took the most efficient techniques of aikido and aikijujutsu and translated them into something for police officers to grasp and utilize. His stuff is what got me interested in aikido in my academy days and now my son is a Koga instructor with his agency.

The waza’s are not really why I liked it, just part of it. Sure I had fun with some and learned a few things but it is Bob Koga, what he says and teaches, and his system that I like.

Like I said I have been looking for a system like this sense the early 90s after learning bits and pieces of systems from friends and family in law enforcement and ex special ops people. The concept of a simple yet effective system with a few moves or waza’s that can be learned easily so that one can “respond not react”. As Koga sensei says just made sense to me. Also I think Bruce Lee talked about these things.

The fact that fighting in real life is not a game, or competition. There are no rules at all, and you need to neutralize the threat as soon as possible. And that the human body has several weak points and you should about them and strike them. The eyes, the throat, the neck, pressure points, the knees, the family Jewels etc. Perry, block, cutoff, or redirect force but at the same time strike, not 1,2 but at the same time. Bruce Lee also talked about this. And another thing that I remember reading in a Bruce Lee book, to not risk boxing him. Your hands and wrist are not taped and you have no gloves to cushion the blows. So you are likely to sprain your wrist or break your hand. Now he has a black eye and some busted out teeth and he’s really pissed and you’re down a hand. Instead strike with lose fingers trying to jab or flick the eye.

Mickey: Thanks for the YouTube link. It brings back great memories of Bob Koga and his classes, including the laughter.

Sam: Thanks for your original post. Koga has a big law enforcement following in Colorado, too. When I was a police officer I studied with him for about 12 years. Even though at that time he claimed not to teach aikido, I learned as much about aikido from him as I have from all of my other teachers. What distinguishes him from other teachers is his emphasis on principles over techniques. He once told me that I probably know more aikido techniques than he does, but because he understands the principles of aikido, he can make techniques up as he goes along. That's takemusu aiki.

A couple of minor corrections to your first post: Koga was in the Air Force, not the Marines. His entire police career was spent in the Los Angeles Police Department. He was assigned to the LAPD Academy when a nurse at a local hospital, who was from Hawaii, told him about Tohei Sensei. Eventually, Tohei awarded Koga yudansha rank, although I don't know what rank it was, or if he was ever promoted subsequently.

Bob Koga has been a great influence on my life. I will always consider myself to be his student and friend. I'm glad you enjoyed his seminar.

Thank you so much for chiming in, and also for correcting me; I had it all wrong, including his name. I guess I was just too excited and or eager to share my find, and start a conversation about him and his system. I wish I could train with him.

I have to say I am shocked that I have never heard of him or his system before, and really surprised that his name or system does not come up around here more. Especially with all the nay Sayers and often disrespect given to Aikido and the aiki concepts sometimes.

How did his system and or your Aikido training benefit you as a LEO? Do you have any stories that you would be willing to share

How did his system and or your Aikido training benefit you as a LEO? Do you have any stories that you would be willing to share

I don't have any stories that anyone would find interesting.

As for techniques, sankyo is a favorite "control hold" of police officers, because it's easy to learn and can be used in a variety of situations. Many of Koga's techniques include the sankyo hold.

What benefited me the most from Koga's training were his principles. They go far beyond technique, dealing more with the psychology of controlling and arresting people, starting with how to control yourself.

Comparisons can be made to aikido principles and techniques, but Koga's are really directed to police work, which is why he is not better known outside of law enforcement. Most of them are not applicable to his "Practical Aikido" classes. For example, in his police classes he spends a great deal of time on how to safely search a suspect for weapons. In addition, almost all of his takedowns end with the officer handcuffing the suspect, which requires all of his students to come to class with handcuffs, and which makes these takedowns of limited use to someone who is not carrying handcuffs.